This past summer I travelled to San Francisco for several days following Sock Summit – you know, since I was already on the west coast and all. It was a great city to visit and I look forward to going back. One thing that did strike me (as I am sure with all tourists in that city), was how much one does really depend on knitwear even in the summer months. I spent most days with a light commercial-knit sweater, and, most gratefully, my Tibetan Dreams stole. I got used to slinging it around my neck and shoulders and thereafter attempted to achieve that “oh I just threw this elegance together” sort of look that one always wishes for when wearing lacy stoles.

On my second day there, I visited the Exploratorium/Palais de Beaux Arts, then walked all the way across Crissy Fields to the Golden Gate bridge, and back. It was a solid day of walking. (I finished at the Ghiradelli ice cream cafe, and did not care that I was surrounded by tourists doing the same thing. I regret nothing about that peanut butter sundae.) Being on my own as I was, I naturally made many attempts at self-photography in front of the bridge, trying to get a decent shot of myself. The best I came up with was this. (People tell me it’s a good shot. I rather think it was just lucky that the wind was blowing my hair in a way that obscured only half of my face instead of all of it.)

ANYway, back to the knitting. I liked having that bit of lace to keep comfy with on breezy tourist adventures, and I remembered it long enough to want a similar piece of knitwear to bundle up with in actual cold temperatures – not just a lacy scarf, but a nice practical piece of insulation as well. It gets cold in Ontario, but that doesn’t mean a gal doesn’t want to look a little pretty while she’s getting dressed for it. This scarf pattern is the result. Presenting Gateway, my latest accessory pattern.

I’ve written this up as a scarf in 2 sizes – a smaller, slimmer, version more typical of simple scarves, and a larger, wider version which is the one I’m modelling here. I reached for Ultra Alpaca, which is one of my favourite yarns for the fall and winter. It’s 50% wool and 50% alpaca, which means that even with a few lacy yarnovers in mix, you’re still getting a pretty warm little knit out of it. However, a variety of worsted weight yarns in wool or wool/alpaca blends – ooh, heck, even wool/silk might be a nice option – would be suitable.

The lacy stitch pattern involves yarnovers and decreases on Right Side rows only, and would be workable enough for a knitter with a little bit of lace experience and chart-reading under their belts. Once you’ve done a few pattern repeats, it’s likely you’ll have started to memorize it. This was certainly my experience! I love how the little swooshy twisted ribs and stockinette angles stack up together, slightly disjointed but also elegant. Even a bit reminiscent of the Golden Gate, one might even say.

I’ve been wearing this all week while here in Edmonton, where the temperatures have actually been cold. (In Southern Ontario we are only just starting to recall this “cold” of which people speak.) In fact, I am led to believe it is rare for there to not be snow on the ground already by this point in November, so that’s a pretty solid reminder that winter is coming. I think I’m going to have to work up some kind of hat to complement it, so I’ll be fully kitted up in Ultra Alpaca warmth.

In any event, the week marches on as do a few more days of family activity here. I’m continuing to sneak in bits of knitting and internet time while I can, and the pace of things continues one day at a time.

That stole looks gorgeous. I used to live in Edmonton (and in Toronto as well) and I would say Edmonton definitely gets cold enough to need warm knitted fuzzies in November. I bet you were glad you didn’t choose a lace weight yarn to knit it in!

This stole is perfect … beautiful detail yet not so lacy as to be too light for cold weather. I just bought a dozen skeins of Ultra Alpaca for another project and am anxiously awaiting the delivery but, of course, now I wished I purchased more so that I can cast on Gateway at the same time. Oh well, back to my LYS to see what they have in stock. Thanks for a beautiful pattern.

Thank you, this is lovely. I live on Gozo (tiny island, part of the country of Malta, mid-Mediterranean) and it doesn’t get really cold here–not for a Canadian expat like me! I wear shawls and scarves most of the year, except in the very hottest nights of summer, and am always on the lookout for patterns. Not only do I love wearing them, but they make great gifts to island friends. This is next in line after I finish my current shoulder shawl.

Lovely pattern. Will definitely be making this. Here in South Africa our winters are not that cold but early in the morning and in the evenings it can get a little chilly so this will be perfect! Thanks!

Beautiful stole, I live in the SF bay area so I am always on the lookout for a cover up. We never put our sweaters up as it can get chilly most of the year. Thank you for the lovely pattern. I am glad you enjoyed our lovely city this summer!

Oh wow, this shawl is gorgeous! One day I hope to attempt lace-knitting, just as soon as I’ve finished all of my WIP’s on the coffee table. I used to live in Edmonton and we still cheer on the Oilers – go Oilers! We’re now in beautiful B.C., where the winter temps are a bit higher than Alberta, but cold nevertheless – brrrrrr! I so need a new pretty shawl.

Thank you for this lovely pattern. I started knitting it right away. I’m using the same yarn which is one of my favorites. I have a question about the chart. On row 17 is the last stitch supposed to be a knit stitch or a yarn over?